Comedy of Errors
by yume girl 91
Summary: Training practice begins to turn into more, Kensei tries to end it for Shuuhei's sake but Rukia won't let him go so easily. 9th from 64-Damn Prompts series


Prompt.9: Comedy of errors

As moronic as it is, settling back into routine is just that - easy - when it shouldn't be. Different faces were there to greet him every morning:

"Muguruma-Taichou." with respect.

It was always enough to toss off a gruff, "mornin'." Head out to train for a couple of hours (as if he needs it) and then head back to the office to see what was lined up for the day. That should be enough - dammit, to focus on work, getting back into the rhythm of life. But of course sore muscles, bleary eyes from not enough sleep don't deter from seeing Shuu-kun's smeary face, as the boy sat at his Fukutaichou desk, pretending to be perusing paperwork.

"So, you're that smitten with her, eh?"

Two hours and Shuuhei had been staring at the same paper.

"Huh?" The tow-haired boy whom had idolized him, finally lifted his head to blink uncomprehendingly. Unbidden a grin stretched Kensei's mouth. "The little Kuchiki. It's only too obvious."

Yes...everything is so obvious you don't even see what's right in front of you.

Shuuhei chuckled a semi-crude male sound one that in any other circumstance Kensei would've been proud to have inspired. It was manly confidence like that ...

"Yeah, guess it is. Sorry, Taichou."

He cracked a snarky grin and let it slide, his own attention wandering. The expression felt wrong on his face, a mockery of what he felt. Maybe Mashiro was right and he was dumb- no scratch that. Circumstance had brought about this, not he himself. If only he had known

_How had it denigrated to this...I never wanted...this to happen_.

...

It had to start in the most innocuous of ways.

Restless, unused to the four compact walls of the barracks, not to mention the smells, he had gotten up unable to sleep. Prowling around the streets for a time he had decided to round off a few spars by himself in the training grounds. That was his thought before entering silently into the shadow-filled grounds only to hear soft whooshes of air being cut and unlady-like gasps.

Momentarily he had been amused, stepping into the fringes of the field, gaze attracted to the sight of the lone figure standing in the moonlight, stabbing the air repeatedly with a wooden bokken.

"Trying to get better, Kuchiki-Fukutaichou?" His call had halted her; startled and none the least sheepish, Kuchiki turned, dropping her aggressive stance immediately. "Muguruma-Taichou!" she ducked her head respectfully. Kensei sauntered forward, commenting with a serious face, "your stance is good but your aim hesitates. Why?"

"You're saying I can't hold a sword?"

"No, idiot." He snorted derisively, amused when a flash of annoyance crossed her face. "I'm not sayin' that."

"Well what are you saying then, Muguruma-Taichou?"

"How about...I teach you a few things, hm?"

...

They yelled at each other quite often. It was normal therefore to meet late - when milling Shinigami wouldn't stop and stare- he always stopped yelling at her to yell at them - "hey! Don't you have somethin' better to do?" - that embarrassed her during the first couple of sessions enough for her to broach the subject of a few _nights_ a week.

Kensei agreed only on the condition only known to himself of stopping those red-faced blushes of hers- they did something not quite right to his insides. The sensation was disturbing enough to warrant unnecessary gruffness for a short period until grudging admiration at her gradual improvement, lead him to dole out a small compliment.

"Not bad."

"Eh?"

"Keep goin, I said!" He snapped when she looked at him questioningly. But the tiny smile she wore that night indicated she had heard what he had mumbled and was secretly pleased by it.

...

One month later, word got around that Shuuhei Hisagi had taken Kuchiki-san out - on a date, some said. Still others shushed the speakers wary that the venerable Kuchiki-Taichou might oppose this startling new development. Kensei himself dismissed the trivialities of comrades sex lives, though perversely amused to contemplate the many ways the noble might torture Shuu-kun for dishonoring _the little princess_.

...

It wasn't until a steady week of seeing the smeary/happy grin/ shit that he started to get ticked off - twice he had to rewrite reports that the idiot botched. Add- listening to the idiot sigh and acting like a love sick fool. - Shuuhei had no pride as a man - or so Kensei adhered to refusing to think even for a moment he might be jealous when he issued a stern warning to the airheaded Fukutaichou of Ninth.

At the end of the talking to - more like yelling about duties; Shuuhei asked quite pointedly, somehow unerringly accurate in the arrow. "Hadn't Muguruma-Taichou ever had someone he would slay anyone for, if they insulted that special person?"

in love - or to that extent. Somehow, someway, a faint heat crept up his neck. When he had realized its existence had been noticed by Shuuhei's probing gaze, Kensei had immediately dismissed him, snapping something about idiotic questions - feeling the smirk/grin of Shuuhei's on his back when he moved away.

_Oh kami. If word ever got around to Mashiro about a supposed paramour_...

...

More and more he began to look forward to the nights when Kuchiki's tiny figure tramped down the green tarmac and she would take up position. He hadn't realized it at first, balking at the notion of an attachment-_but perhaps it was_...

...

"I've done enough here." The night sky was clear above, the moon waning shed diffuse light on the training grounds. Even so, Kensei heard her intake of breath, sharp, but Rukia as a stubborn, _strong_ girl. She'd have to understand. Otherwise he'd have to make her to, what he barely knew what to give a name.

_Feelings_. That detestable word. It was too evocative of mush and ...and...the absolute fact that he didn't stand a chance in fucking Hell against Shuuhei.

"I see. Do you think I've really improved much?" suddenly unsure, she dropped her gaze to the ground, scuffing the tip of her sandal in the green turf. Kensei put on fake enthusiasm - as well as he could, gruffly clapping her shoulder, rocking her small form under the weight of his hand. "Sure you have! You tell 'em that yours was the best damn teacher around- Kensei Muguruma-sama!"

She snorted, getting out from under his hand. "Hardly -'sama'!"

"What'd you say, girl?"

"I said you're not a 'sama', Muguruma-Taichou." Rukia clarified, gazing at him with too clear violet eyes. Kensei felt them pierce him something fierce - in the heart. "Kuchiki, I..." something inwardly warned him not to say it. To speak further would be to incite those feelings he was endeavoring to hide.

"I..wish you the best." He offered lamely, scratching at the side of his short ashen hair.

"That's..it?" she sounded disappointed, a familiar frown forming on her lips.

"Yeah, what'd you expect? More than a pat on the back!"

"Yeah, maybe!" she fired off hotly, her voice rising which was never a good sign.

"..wouldn't be right. You're with Shuuhei." He muttered, glowering at nothing and at everything. He was just an old man with a few scars and a monster inside to boot. he was well aware that he had little or nothing to offer. Or so he thought.

"Baka..."

"What?"

"I said you're a baka!" Rukia snapped; he could feel her burning gaze on him, "you don't understand anything!" That, he flinched at, coming back with a sharp retort, "oh yeah, little miss princess go on! Have your happy ending with Shuuhei-"

She let out a frustrated noise and was upon him before he'd even realized she moved. In an instant of waiting - for her small fist to descend, Kensei felt the weight of her body, the tininess of her stature before her lips sought his, pressing fervently - _awkwardly_. Kensei compensated for the differences in their height by clasping her upper body, crushing her to his chest in a paroxysm of passion.

This was what he had been afraid of...a simple action of hers breaking the floodgates on his emotions -he hated to feel this way - hated it - and felt so alive. Rukia broke soon away for air, pressing a hand firmly against his robes, breathing heavily. Surprisingly she wore a smirk on her kiss-swollen lips. "Sorry, that was the only way to get you to shut up."

"Kuchiki..." he couldn't even begin to hope, formulate the words that needed to be spoken.

"_Rukia_." She corrected, "Muguruma-Taichou."

Her wit never failed to exasperate him. Kensei dipped his head, meaning to go for a long slow kiss - to Hell with details they were annoying anyway - he never heard the other's step until a third voice broke the euphoric bubble surrounding him.

"Rukia?" Shuuhei began; Kensei froze, feeling the gaze of his Fukutaichou take in the whole scene fully. "Muguruma-Taichou? What the hell is going on here?"

-Finis

Disclaimer: don't own Bleach

AN: =.= sorry if it's not too good =.= (RL is bad right now) I'll probably come back and edit this a little later on..

No flames!

Reviews are a treat


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